Scientists develop Harry Potter-like cloaking device that hides things out of plain sight

Harry Potter like cloaking device is now a reality, as researchers have revealed that they have recently developed several ways to hide objects from view.

The device, which is developed at the University of Rochester, comprises of four standard lenses that keeps the object hidden as the viewer moves up to several degrees away from the optimal viewing position.

John Howell, a professor of physics at the University of Rochester said that there have been many high tech approaches to cloaking and the basic idea behind these is to take light and have it pass around something as if it isn't there, often using high-tech or exotic materials.

The researchers also said that this is the first device that we know of that can do three-dimensional, continuously multidirectional cloaking, which works for transmitting rays in the visible spectrum.

In order to both cloak an object and leave the background undisturbed, the researchers determined the lens type and power needed, as well as the precise distance to separate the four lenses. To test their device, they placed the cloaked object in front of a grid background. As they looked through the lenses and changed their viewing angle by moving from side to side, the grid shifted accordingly as if the cloaking device was not there.

There was no discontinuity in the grid lines behind the cloaked object, compared to the background, and the grid sizes (magnification) matched.

The Rochester Cloak can be scaled up as large as the size of the lenses, allowing fairly large objects to be cloaked. And, unlike some other devices, it's broadband so it works for the whole visible spectrum of light, rather than only for specific frequencies.

The scientists said that this cloak bends light and sends it through the center of the device, so the on-axis region cannot be blocked or cloaked, which means that the cloaked region is shaped like a doughnut. They added that they have slightly more complicated designs that solve the problem. Also, the cloak has edge effects, but these can be reduced when sufficiently large lenses are used.